Local Restaurants Compete For The Title Of Best New York State Burger

Earlier this month (March 2026), I wrote an article about the New York State Beef Council's 10th annual search for the best burger in New York State.

The 2025 winner was from the Southern Tier, the Ghost Burger from Butcher's Son on Market Street in  Corning, New York.

Read More:  Recent Broome County Sheriff Arrests And Charges

Nominations Are Set - It's Time To Vote!

The deadline to nominate your favorite New York State Restaurant was March 14, 2026. There were many nominations submitted, and 42 burgers and their restaurants have been selected for the voting process to find the 2026 best burger in New York State.

Are There Any Southern Tier Best Burger Entries?

So, of the 42 restaurants up for votes, how many represent the Southern Tier of New York? Well, Butcher's Son in Corning is making another run for one for the crown with another type of their signature burgers.

And locally, Shelly's Deli in Endicott and The Bellmar Pub & Grill in Binghamton are representing the Triple Cities area with their signature burger.

So, what happens next? Voting began on March 18th, and votes will continue to be taken until April 10th, 2026, at 5 p.m. For complete rules, check out the New York State Beef Council's Best Burger rules website.

Judging Criteria

An anonymous judging panel will select the 2026 Best New York State Burger from the following guidelines:

• Taste – 50%
• Appearance and Presentation – 30%
• Eating Experience – 10%
• Overall – 10%

The New York State Beef Council will select ten burgers as finalists based on the number of nominations each restaurant receives.

Get our free mobile app